Rotary steam-engine



(No Model.)

,J. DAVENPORT. ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

No. 588,131. Patented Aug. 17,1897.

Hi"? E 6w%w UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

JOSEPH DAVENPORT, OF MASSILLON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO GEORGE D. SAXTON, OF CANTON, OHIO.

ROTARY ST EAM-ENGIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,131, dated August 17, 1897. Application filed April 6, 1897. Serial No, 632,457. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH DAVENPORT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Massillon, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of the cylinder broken away and illustratin g the arrangement of the piston-wheels. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the cylinder, showing the piston-wheels in proper position with reference to the cylinder. Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the cylinder, showing the different parts properly arranged. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of one of the inlet-pipes and its valves. Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sections of the inlet-valves. Fig. '7 is a view showing a portion of the inlet-pipe and illustrating the inlet-ports.

The present invention has relation to rotary steam-engines; and it consists in the diiferent parts and combination of. parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Similar numbers of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the draw- 1ngs.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 represents the base, which may be of any desired form, reference being had to attaching the different parts belonging thereto. To the base 1 is attached the cylinder 2, which cylinder is provided with the integral bottom or support 3,01, if desired, said support maybe formed separate and attached to the cylinder. Within the cylinder 2 are located the piston-wheels 4 and 5, which are arranged substantially as illustrated, and as shown they are mounted upon the power-shaft 6, which power-shaft is properly journaled in any convenient and wellknown manner. Upon the peripheries of the wheels 4. and 5 are located the buckets 7 and S, which buckets are provided with the inclined faces 9 and 10 and the radial shoulders 11 and 12.

The cylinder 2 is provided with the inletports 13, which inlet-ports are located substantially as illustrated in the drawings, and as shown they are located diametrically opposite each other. The cylinder 2 is provided -with the steam chests or cylinders 14, which are formed by means of the pipes 15, which pipes are each provided with the inlet-ports 16 and 17. Within the pipes 15 are located the pipes 18, which pipes are provided with the inlet-ports 19 and 20, said ports being so located and arranged that when the ports 16 are open the ports 17 will be closed, and vice versa.. The object and purpose of so locating the ports 19 and 20 that but one of the ports in the pipe 15 will be open at one time is to prevent the steam from acting on more than one wheel at a time, thereby causing the engine proper to run in the direction with reference to the open port'and to prevent any resistance upon the idle wheel.

For the purpose of using steam continuously the cylinder 2 is provided with the chambers 21, which chambers are located in the cylinder casing or shell, as illustrated in Fig.

3. In the drawings I have illustrated. two expansion-chambers between each of the exhaust-pipes 22, but it will be understood that a greater or less number may be employed without departing from the nature of my invention, the number of chambers, such as 21, corresponding with the size of the engine designed to be constructed.

For the purpose of preventing the backward pressure of steam after it has passed the ports connecting with the buckets upon the pistonwheels the ridges of the buckets are so formed that they will fit closely against the inner periphery of the cylinders in which the pistonwheels are located. By this arrangement steam is only admitted at such times as the buckets come under or in line with the inletports, which ports lead into the cylinder.

In use steam is admitted to the cylinder 2 5 through one of the ports 16 or 17, which finds its way to the buckets located upon the pe' riphery of the wheel. As the wheel revolves the impact steam located in the buckets will escape to the chambers 21, and can enter the mo cylinder where its force is exerted upon the periphery of the wheel. It will be understood that as the piston-wheel acted upon by the steam is rotated the steam will be cut ofi from the chambers 21, as the ribs of the buckets pass the rearward opening of the chambers 21, and when a rib has passed or partially passed said opening or openings the steam will escape and enter the forward opening 23 of the chambers 21.

By providing a series of chambers 21 I am enabled to utilize the force of steam continu- V ously from one chamber .to another, thereby increasing the power without increasing the quantity of steam used.

For the purpose of taking up the wear of the piston-wheels 4 and 5 the cylinder is formed somewhat larger in diameter at one end than at the other, and the piston-wheels taper to correspond with the taper of the cylinder. By this arrangement Iam enabled to adjust the wheels so as to keep them steamtight or practically so at all times. The buckets located upon the periphery of the wheels are formed small and of a length to correspond substantially with the length of each wheel, by which arrangement I am enabled to use both the steam-pressure and the expansive force without the use of a large amount of steam, thereby saving a greater amount of steam than is possible with the old-style reciprocating engines. Another object in forming the buckets is to provide steam-impact cups upon the periphery of the wheel or wheels, thereby using the steam expansively after it has passed through the expansive chambers with greater effect.

For the purpose of operating the tubes 18 in unison, so that the opposite ports will be opened at the same time, they are each provided with the arms 24, to the outer ends of which are pivotally attached the links 25, which links are connected to the lever 26, which lever is pivotally attached to the end of the cylinder 2, or its equivalent.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

I 1. The combination of the cylinder 2, having located therein the piston-wheels 4, and 5, said piston-wheels having buckets of opposite pitch, the ribs of said buckets fitting closely against the inner periphery of the cylinder, chambers located between the inletports and the exhaust-ports pipes 15, provided with the inlet-ports 16, and 17, and the pipes 18, provided'with the ports 19, and 20, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the cylinder 2, pro vided with a tapered or conical opening, a. piston wheel or wheels tapered to correspond with the tapered opening formed in the cylinder buckets provided with ribs fitted closely against the inner periphery of the tapered opening in the cylinder, chambers 21, having ports leadinginto the cylinder, pipes 15, provided with inlet-ports 16, and 17, the pipes 18, provided with the inlet-ports 19, and 20, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above Ihave hereuntosubscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH DAVENPORT.

Witnesses:

J; A. JEFFERS, F. W. BOND. 

